SJC Welcomes New President

A LETTER FROM ST. JOHN’S BOARD CHAIR

Dear SJC Community,

January 3, 2024

In partnership with and guidance from the De La Salle Christian Brothers, the Board of Trustees is delighted to introduce Kevin M. Haley as the 29th president of St. John’s College High School.

Kevin was selected as a result of the first open and community-inclusive presidential search process in the 173-year history of St. John’s. His appointment is the culmination of a seven-month national search, attracting interest from diverse and accomplished leaders from many sectors, including education, government, military, business, and non-profit. The search incorporated input from more than 500 survey responses and nearly 50 interviews with faculty, staff, students, trustees, parents, alumni, and administrators. The search concluded with threeday visits by the final candidates, and more than 120 community stakeholders participated in those visits. At their conclusion, the Search Committee reflected and deliberated upon the information presented in light of the leadership qualities necessary of the president to ensure that St. John’s continues to be committed to its Lasallian identity while building upon its position as an innovative leader in secondary Catholic education.

Ultimately, the Search Committee, the Board of Trustees, and the District of Eastern North America of the Brothers of the Christian Schools unanimously agreed that Kevin Haley is the best candidate to lead St. John’s. He is extraordinarily well-suited to our common vision for our president—someone who exemplifies mission-centric leadership, is committed to our Lasallian legacy and faith development, embodies student-centered decision-making, builds an inclusive community, and maintains an authentic zeal for the comprehensive student experience.

Kevin is a native Washingtonian and was born and raised in a large Catholic family. His grandfather helped found the Catholic Youth Organization in 1945. Kevin’s oldest sons, T.J. Haley ’20 and Mac Haley ’22, and many relatives have studied at, taught at, and graduated from St. John’s in the past six plus decades. Kevin attended Catholic primary and secondary schools and graduated from Princeton University and the University of Virginia School of Law. Kevin and his wife of 27 years, Kathleen Haley, met during law school and are the proud parents of six children: Maggie, T.J. ’20, Mac ’22, Charlie, Mollie, and Grace.

St. John’s impacted my kids in a positive way because of its unique mission—to educate young men and women from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds—which has proven effective across continents and over hundreds of years dating back to St. John Baptist de La Salle. I am grateful for and excited by the opportunity to be a steward of that mission so others can experience that same positive impact from St. John’s for another 100 years.

Kevin is a life-long learner and student of servant leadership. Throughout his professional career, he has demonstrated a successful resilience to lead people towards an aligned shared mission in diverse and challenging environments. By focusing on the broader needs of community, Kevin has consistently succeeded in unique settings over several decades in government, private and public companies, philanthropic and for-profit board work, and most recently, as the chief strategy officer for Under Armour. Kevin’s diverse experiences in innovation, cross-functional team building, operations, law, and management functions, align with the challenges that St. John’s is prepared to address in the next strategic and master plan.

Kevin’s time on campus, engaging with trustees, the administrative leadership team, faculty, staff, students, parents, and alumni, solidified his position as the clear choice for president. Consistent themes emerged from feedback received from the community members who interacted with Kevin—inspiring, appreciation for Catholic education and the Lasallian mission, support for faculty, commitment to developing character and service to others, self-awareness, organizational leadership, and intent to continue to build our warm and welcoming community. We are thrilled to have found an exceptional leader who is passionately aligned with the core values and mission of the De La Salle Christian Brothers.

In Lasallian culture, trustees are relied upon as “guardians of the mission.” Within this capacity, we are entrusted to serve the mission by advancing, promoting, preserving, and protecting St. John’s College High School in the present and preparing the institution for the future. Leadership transitions are more than inevitable; they are healthy and the ultimate test of, and credit to, a thriving community. The Board of Trustees looks forward to working with Kevin Haley to advance Lasallian education in the nation’s capital.

It is my honor to stand alongside the Search Committee, our Board of Trustees, and our spiritual partners at the Brothers of Christian Schools at this critical inflection point for St. John’s. We are extremely thankful that Kevin, Kathleen, and the Haley family have decided to join us as we embark on the next chapter at St. John’s.

St. John Baptist de La Salle… Pray for us. Live Jesus in our hearts… Forever.

Sincerely,

Patrick M. Dunn ’03, Board Chair